PEOPLE POWER AIMS TO PUT PRESSURE ON TOWN PLANNERS

A WOKINGHAM residents' association is hoping to rally support for a new town centre plan to ensure the preservation of historical buildings and improve infrastructure.

Members of the Priest Avenue Residents' Association are looking to incorporate a parish plan for the town centre which can be adopted as part of the district's local plan and recognised as part as Wokingham's planning policy.

The association said it is particularly keen to maintain the town's boundaries and prevent developments in neighbouring Bracknell Forest creeping over into Wokingham.

Congestion through the town centre and infill development were also key issues, said the association, which wants to encouraging more trade and preserve historical buildings such as Montague House and the old police station in Rectory Road.

To kick-start the scheme, the Priest Avenue Residents' Association is holding a workshop in Wokingham town hall, Market Place, on Saturday, March 12, at 1pm, where it hopes representatives from business, The Wokingham Society, residents and the town council will attend.

Paul Major, chairman of the association, said he hoped after the workshop a steering committee could be formed to influence the town plan giving the community a vision for the future.

Mr Major said: "We want to maintain the best and improve the rest. The architectural make-up of the town, traffic and separation of settlements is something we feel very strongly about.

"Town councillors are elected to look out for Wokingham but the idea is that we form a non-political community group that will give resident more of a say.

"Through the workshop, we want to find out what can be achieved and learn from people's experience or ideas so we can create this new plan.

"Our historical buildings should be maintained in the interest of people living here now and future generations — if we work together we can make a difference.

"There is a lot of infilling in Wokingham and we want to stop that in particular. All this development has a knock-on effect — Wokingham is a lovely town and changing the face of it is unacceptable."

The Wokingham Society is a group which already strives to secure the preservation and development of public and historic features in the town.

David Tinker, chairman, said he would go to the residents' association's workshop to get more of an idea of what it was about but said the society had been consulted on several schemes for a town plan over the years which had "just gathered dust".

Mr Tinker said: "There have been many consultations over the years but we are pleased the Priest Avenue Residents' Association is planning to put something in place.

"We generally support initiatives that promote the town and it's important we know what the value will be."

Before the new town plan can be accepted as planning guidance by Wokingham District Council, it has to comply with the district's plan, regional plans and statutory planning guidance.

For more information about the workshop call Mr Major on (0118) 962 9969.